Species

Justification
This pheasant qualifies as Vulnerable because it has a small population which is declining and becoming increasingly fragmented owing to hunting pressure and the clearance of mid-altitude forests.

Taxonomic source(s)
Sibley, C. G.; Monroe, B. L. 1990. Distribution and taxonomy of birds of the world. Yale University Press, New Haven, USA.

Identification
46-55 cm. Short-tailed pheasant. Male uniform, dark bluish-black with some indistinct pale bluish fringing to upperparts, bare red facial skin and pale grey legs. Female rufous-brown with distinct paler shaft streaks and irregular blotching, particularly on underparts, dark tail and pale grey legs. Similar spp. Female Sumatran Pheasant L. hoogerwerfi is darker, lacks prominent pale shaft streaks and pale blotching, and has darker grey legs, but males may be indistinguishable. Female Crested Fireback L. ignita has crest, longer tail and white scaling on underparts. Female Crestless Fireback L. erythrophthalma lacks blue fringing to upperparts. Voice A series of clucking calls.

Distribution and population
Lophura inornata is endemic to Sumatra, Indonesia, where it is known from at least ten localities in the central and south Barisan mountain range. There are recent records from at least three of these sites, Gunung Kaba and Gunung Kerinci, both within Kerinci-Seblat National Park, where it remained relatively common during surveys in the late 1990s and early 2000s (F. Lambert in litt. 2008) and was camera trapped multiple times (31 records) in 2004-2006 (Yoan Dinata et al. 2008), and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park (where it has also been camera trapped [N. Winarni in litt. 2004]). It was described as fairly common around Kerinci in the early 1900s.

Population justification
The population is estimated to number 2,500-9,999 mature individuals based on an assessment of known records, descriptions of abundance and range size. This is consistent with recorded population density estimates for congeners or close relatives with a similar body size, and the fact that only a proportion of the estimated Extent of Occurrence is likely to be occupied. This estimate is equivalent to 3,750-14,999 individuals, rounded here to 3,500-15,000 individuals.

Trend justification
The main threats of hunting pressure and habitat loss from logging, agricultural encroachment and increasingly fire during droughts are suspected to be causing a moderate decline in numbers.

Ecology
It is a resident of lower (and possibly upper) montane humid forest from c.650-2,200 m, most observations coming from c.800m and above. It appears to prefer primary, unlogged forest, but also frequents disturbed and degraded habitats in close proximity to primary forest.

Threats
Hunting pressure is thought to have caused declines in parts of the species's range, but it still occurs close to heavily settled areas, and thus appears to be resilient to a degree of trapping (F. Lambert in litt. 2008). In 1999, a congener L. hoogerwerfi was recorded in bird markets in Medan, northern Sumatra for the first time; the extent to which Lophura pheasants feature in national or international trade is not known (Shepherd 2000). Much of the forest within the lower part of the species's altitudinal range around Kerinci has already been cleared for shifting cultivation, and is vulnerable to further illegal agricultural encroachment and increasingly frequent drought fires. The range is becoming increasingly fragmented, a trend which is likely to continue (Brickle 2005).


Conservation actions underway
The species is known to occur in at least two protected areas, the large Kerinci-Seblat National Park and Bukit Barisan Selatan (N. Winarni in litt. 2004). It also occurs in two other areas currently designated as protection forest, but proposed for upgrading to wildlife reserves, Gunung Singgalang and Bukit Dingin/Gunung Dempu.

Conservation actions proposed
Clarify its taxonomic relationship with L. hoogerwerfi using DNA-sequencing techniques. Advocate full protection under Indonesian law. Analyse the data collected on this species in Kerinci-Seblat and Bukit Barisan Selatan National Parks to improve understanding of its threat status. Review the effectiveness of the protected areas system through surveys and advocate establishment of new, or gazette proposed, protected areas accordingly. Quantify the threat from hunting and associated disturbance.

References
Yoan D., Agung N., Iding A. H. and M. Linkie. 2008. Camera trapping rare and threatened avifauna in west-central Sumatra. Bird Conservation International 18: 40-47.

BirdLife International. 2001. Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book. BirdLife International, Cambridge, U.K.

Brickle, N. 2005. Little known pheasants: Salvadori's pheasant. World Pheasant Association News 75.

Keane, A.M.; Garson, P.J.; McGowan, P.J. K. in press. Pheasants: status survey and conservation action plan 2005-2009. IUCN and WPA, Gland, Switzerland.

Shepherd, C. R. 2000. Some notes on the trade of rare pheasants in Indonesia.

Further web sources of information
Detailed species accounts from the Threatened birds of Asia: the BirdLife International Red Data Book (BirdLife International 2001).

View photos and videos, and hear sounds of this species from the Internet Bird Collection

Text account compilers
Benstead, P., Bird, J., Davidson, P., Keane, A., Taylor, J.

Contributors
Brickle, N., Randi, E., Winarni, N.

IUCN Red List evaluators
Butchart, S., Symes, A.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2013) Species factsheet: Lophura inornata. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013. Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2013) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 22/05/2013.

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife

To contribute to discussions on the evaluation of the IUCN Red List status of Globally Threatened Birds, please visit BirdLife's Globally Threatened Bird Forums.

Additional resources for this species

0